Airbus union calls for work stoppages in France

Paris: The leading French union at planemaker Airbus on 2 April called for a strike at all manufacturing sites in the country to protest the company’s restructuring plan.

Workers Force called for stoppages on 3 April and for a protest in Toulouse, the southwestern city where Airbus aircraft are assembled. No other union joined the call.

The company’s Power-8 plan seeks the elimination of 10,000 jobs at Airbus, including 4,300 in France. It led to strikes last month in France, Germany and Spain.

Airbus is refusing to soften its restructuring plan, meant to make up for losses caused by the weak dollar and a euro5 billion (US$6.5 billion) profit shortfall due to a two-year delay in production of the A380 superjumbo.